Automatic sprinkler



March 25, 1930. F. LINDHORST AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER Filed Aug. '7, 1926 5 ShGGtS-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 1 i' rederzcz: 1.; Lz'mmamp v v ATTORNEY.

March 25, 1930. F. L. LINDHORST 1,751,641

AUTOMAT I C S PRI NKLER Filed Aug. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR. flzdem al I, lihd Zonal:

A-TTORNEY.

March 25, 1930. LINDHQRST 1,751,641 7 AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER Filed Aug. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. HWederz c7: 1. ,Lzndfiqrsv ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 25, 1930 L'YELttl warren s r-Ares earner errant FREDERICK Ii. mnnntonsnon DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR r0 WHITE sHoWEJas Inc, 01 DETROIT, MIoHIGAmaoonPoRATIoN or MICHIGAN I AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER 1 Application filedAugust 7, 1926. Serial No; 127,770.

This invention relates to automatic sprinklers of the oscillating type and hasto do particularly with automatic sprinklers of the type adapted to be actuated by fluid pressure motors, the sprinkler and fluid pressure motor being oscillate-d in unison.

Heretofore in the sprinkling of relatively large'areas it has been the practice to utilize oscillating sprinkler conduits to form a part of an overhead irrigation system. Someof these systems have utilized fluid pressure motors of the oscillating type such as is shown in my copending application No. 109,233, filed May 15, 1926. These overhead irrigation systems have been practicable and very successful for the work for which they are used, but when it is desired to sprinkle lawns of relatively large area, or Where the sprinkling device has to. be moved considerably these overhead irrigating systems of the oscillating type are not only impracticable because of their weight and size but are also unsightly.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a compact'spr'inkler of the oscillating type which is very light in weight, presents an attractive appearance, can be transported easily from place to place and which rocks back and forth to spraya rectangular or square surface of relatively large area.

More specifically, this invent-ion contemplates the provision of a fluid pressure motor of the oscillating type which is adapted'to be oscillated or actuated by power supplied by the water entering the machine and the provision of a small arcuate arm positioned transversely of the fluidpressure motor cylinders and adapted to spray the Water in fine jets, or streams, from various points of said arcuate arm. Only a small portion of the water entering the machine is used to operate the motor. The arcuate arm for spraying and 'distributlng the water is provided with a series of novel jets which progressively vary I in size whereby the water passing through the arcuate arm is caused to leave said jets in streams of varying proportions and whereby any tendency of the'water to spray, as a result of any eddy broken up.

currents, is completely In the drawings sprinkler device; showing the preferredform of fluid pressure motor and the manner of arranging the arcuate sprinkling device in combination with the oscillating motor.

' Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the preferred form of nozzle structure and show ing the strainermember therefor for breaking up the spray motion or eddy currents. Fig. 3 isan enlarged longitudinal section taken through the arcuate arm of my novel structure and illustrating the preferred manner of locating the nozzles and strainer members therefor and illustrating the progressive variationof the orifices of such nozzles. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section taken along the motor cylinders and illustrating the method of obtaining oscillation of the fluid pressure motor and also illustrating the manner of utilizing the water used to operate the motor.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatical View illustrating the manner of operating the novel sprinkler whereby'it is eflectivc to spray or water a rectangular or square surface.

The'fluid pressure oscillating motor structure utilized with the. spraying member embodied in the present invention, may be of any type where the motor is oscillated by power supplied by the water utilized in spraying. It will be understood, however, that the fluid pressure oscillating motorfully described in my copending application 109,- 233 will be preferably used in the embodiment of this invention for the reason that it lends itself peculiarly to my novel sprinkling device whereby the structure, by its arrangement, presents a novel, efficient and practical unit as a whole.

The motor structure is fully described and explained in my said copending application, and it will suflice to say that it comprises in general a valve and casting element 1 which is adapted to be pivotally supported, as at 2,

to a standard 3. This standard 3 is adapted leakage of the water. This. member 1 is adapted to receive cylinders 4 and 5 as shown in 4t, and each cylinder is provided with a suitable piston and piston rod 6. Each piston rod is designed to be connected to a suitable'parallelogram. structure positioned exteriorly of the cylinders 1 and 5. The casting member 1 is provided with suitable Valves 8 and 9 for controlling the inlet of the water from the supply hose or conduit, and also for controlling the reversing of-the motor. other words, the innerend of each piston or piston rod is provided with a suitable member 10 for contacting with the valves 8 and 9 for reversing the same whereby the water is exhausted for one cylinder while it enters the other cylinder. I

l e parallelogram structure 7 is designed to be connected by means of a suitable pivoted lug 11 to an arcuate adjusting clamp 12. This clamp member 12 forms one half of a bearing member for clamping the supply pipe, and the other half of the clamp memher, which may be designated 13, serves as the upper member of a suitable support for the entire unit. This arcuate clamp member 12 is provided with suitable serrations 14: on its arcuate surface whereby to'adjustably receive one end of the member 11. The pressure of the water on one-of the cylinders tending to force it outwardly will, due to the fact that the lever 11 is pivoted to the clamp member 12 cause the cylinders to move and thus oscillate the entire motor unit.

A suitable joint 15 is utilized to connect the main water supply conduit to my nozzle and sprinkling arm 16. The spraying member itself which is best shown in Fig. 3 consists of a hollow arcuate castingforming in cross section a pipe of approximately the diameter of the intake conduit. This arcuate conduit is preferably. connected to an upstanding conduit 17 and is positioned transversely of the-longitudinal axis of the motor cylinders. The arcuate casting 16 is tapped or threaded to receive a plurality of small nozzles 18, such as is shown in Fig. 2.

These nozzles are preferably provided with a pending strainer member 19 which is adapted to extend a considerable distance down into the hollow portion of the arcuate member 16, If it were not for these strainer members the water cffusing from the few central nozzles would perhaos be of a solid stream, but the water eflusing from the orifices of the other nozzles would be thrown in many difnt directions andthus result in an impractical spray for the purpose of the presentinvention. By providing each of the nozzle; members -with strainer members 19 the eddy currentsand the" circulating movement caused by the arcuate member is broken up or rendered ineffectiveat the nozzles 18.

In order to effect spraying of a rectangular ora squaresurface, the arcuate member 16 is given a certain radius and a certain number are relatively larger, while the orifices of the next five nozzles on each side are preferably made progressively larger, whereby the last nozzle at each end of the member 16 is adapted to throw a larger and longer stream than the other nozzles and particulary the center three nozzles. Referringto the diagrammatical illustration of Fig. 5, it will be seen that the end nozzles are adapted to throw a higher and longer stream due to their size and posi-- tioning in the 'arcuate member, and as the center nozzles throw a stream progressively less in length it will be obvious that the nozzles can be so arranged and predetermined that a perfectsquare or rectangle will be sprayed by the oscillating member 16. The arcuate member 16 being arranged transversely of the motor and centrally thereof, it will be obvious that the'positioning of the support of the motorwill determine the center of the square or rectangle to be sprayed.

The valve member is provided with a suitle outlet 20 for exhausting thewater used in operating the motor. A suitable outlet nozzle 21 provided with a suitable spraying nozzle 22 is secured to this outlet 20' and is so formed as to spray the water exhausted from each cylinderupwardly past the arcuate member 16. This thus utilizes the water used for operating the motor for spraying the lawn;

It will thus be obvious that I have provided a novel sprinkling device which will be effective to sprinkle a square or rectangular surface equivalent ofthe work of threeor four sprinklers of the garden variety, and which is effective to sprinkle the surface which heretofore has only been possible to sprinkle with cumbersome and expensive apparatus. It

willalso-be obvious that the deviceis notonly.

effective in sprinkling a large rectangular surface, but that it is a compact device which is very beautiful in operation and which throws the water in' long, v high and thin streams whereby the water falls in tiny drops instead of falling-in large streams and flooding particular spots of the surface to be sprinkled. It will be understood, and as ex plained in my said copending application, that the oscillating stroke of the motor may be adjusted as desired and the path of the stroke may also be adjusted as desired. Under ordinary city pressure of thirty pounds pressure, this sprinkler as illustrated in the drawings will water a square of approximately feet by 50 feet.- The'size ofthe square can be varied by adjusting the stroke orp'ath' of the oscillating motor, and the surface sprayed can be adjusted to spray various rectangular surfaces from a square surface of 60 feet by 60 feet to a rectangular surface 10 feet by 60 feet, and other proportionate areas according to the size of the spraying device and pressure of the water.

What I claim is:

1. In a liquid distributing system, the combination of an arcuate spray member, means for oscillating the same transversely of the axis of said member, a series of nozzles positioned longitudinally of said member and along the periphery thereof, and a tubular perforated member secured to each nozzle and extending a substantial distance within the arcuate spray member.

2. In a liquid distributing system of the type utilizing fluid pressure oscillating motors, an arcuate spray conduit secured to an oscillating part of the motor and positioned transversely thereof, water supplying means for directing an uninterrupted supply'of water to said conduit, and a plurality of nozzle members arranged longitudinally of and forming a part of said arcuate spray conduit, the size of the orifices of the said nozzle members increasing from the center of the arcuate spray towards the ends whereby the nozzles adjacent the ends will throw a longer stream than those in the center, the said increase in size being predetermined whereby to spray a substantially rectangular surface upon oscillation of the spray conduit.

3. In a liquid distributing system of the vtype utilizing fluid pressure oscillating motors, an arcuate spray conduit secured to an oscillating part of the motor and positioned transversely thereof, and a plurality of nozzle members forming a part of said spray conduit, the size of the orifices of the said nozzle members varying whereby some nozzles will throw a longer stream than others, the orifices of varying sizes being so arranged and positioned and the spray conduit being of such shape that the oscillating of the spray member will cause it to spray a rectangular surface.

4. In a liquid distributing system, the combination of a fluid pressure oscillating motor including a discharge outlet, an arc uate spraying conduit extending above and transversely thereof, a series of nozzle members positioned longitudinally along the periphery of said conduit, and aconduit having a spray nozzle connected to said motor outlet and positioned to spray the Water utilized in operating the motor, said spray being directed upwardly and centrally of said transverse conduit.

5. In a liquid distributing system an arcuate spray member, means for oscillating said member and supplying water thereto and a plurality of discharge openings in said member of such size and so arranged longitudinally as to spray a substantially rectangular surface as the member oscillates back and forth.

6. In a liquid distributing system the combination of a fluid a substantially arcuate spray conduit rigidly secured to an oscillating part of the motor and extending transversely thereof, means for supplying water to said system for oscillating said motor, a series of nozzles ar- P bination of a fluid pressure oscillating motor,

a substantially arcuate spray conduit secured to an oscillating part of said motor, a series of nozzles longitudinally arranged in said spray conduit, the said nozzles having openings of. different sizes proportioned to spray a substantially rectangular surface when said conduit oscillates, said motor comprising means for varying the degree and central point of the path of oscillation whereby to regulate the dimension and location of the rectangular area to be sprayed.

8. In a liquid distributing system the combination of a fluid pressure oscillating motor, a substantially arcuate spray conduit of fixed contour secured to an oscillating part of said motor, a series of nozzles longitudinally arranged in said spray conduit, the said nozzles having openings of different sizes proportioned according to the contour of the conduit to spray a substantially rectangular surface when said conduit oscillates, said motor comprising means forvarying the amplitude of oscillation on either or both sides of the normal center of oscillation whereby to regulate the size and dimension of the rectangular area to be sprayed.

9. In a liquid distributing system, the combination of a fluid pressure motor, an arcuate spraying member secured to an oscillating part of said motor, a series of nozzles positioned longitudinally of said conduit along the periphery thereof, means secured to each pressure oscillating motor,

nozzle and extending a substantial distance within the spray conduit for rendering ineffective at the nozzle any circulating movements caused by the arcuate shape of the conduit, said nozzles varying in size and so arranged as to discharge streams of water of a length to spray a substantially rectangular surface when said member oscillates.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FREDERICK L. LINDHORST. 

